Time for me to finally get a Gameboy Advance then? (1 Viewer)

[Morgan Jolley]

The GBA will connect to the GCN to do more than a VMU. Imagine playing games on the VMU (which you can) only playing them while you play the game on the DC as part of the game. It will be like an extension of the game you are playing on the GCN.
I just today got a GBA. Its comfortable alright. I bought Mario Kart Super Circuit also and haven't played it much yet. So far, the animation on the tiny screen is actually pretty good. The game is hard to play with the tiny screen, but I was in the car so it was hard to stay focused (I wasn't driving, my dad was).
I suggest you buy Mario Kart in UK then buy a GBA in America. That way, you can play it against people in your home country and still play it while you're here. Granted you won't be able to play people here, but you could play some of the multiplayer stuff with just one cartridge in one of the GBAs, so you could actually still play against people.

 

[Dan Brecher]

I suggest you buy Mario Kart in UK then buy a GBA in America. That way, you can play it against people in your home country and still play it while you're here. Granted you won't be able to play people here, but you could play some of the multiplayer stuff with just one cartridge in one of the GBAs, so you could actually still play against people.

A wise plan, sir.
Dan (UK)

 

[Morgan Jolley]

After an almost full day of Mario Kart, I can say this:
I wish it was brighter.
I have one of the flip-down light/cover things, but the light covers mainly the top part of the screen and the bottom is dark. Also, it reflects right into my face so I can't see the top of the screen very well. One cool thing, I got a rechargable battery thing, and it comes with a special battery cover that lets you put the GBA in the stand like a PDA. Sweet.
Even so, Mario Kart is fun and addictive. I only stopped when the light turned red (it goes from green to red to show that the battery is dying). I'm going to read the booklet and find out if there are any cool differences with GB or GBC games (like wider screen or something).

 

[JasonK]

I've had the GBA for a few months now, and enjoy it a lot. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon is outstanding. That game alone made the GBA worth it. I just got Mario Kart, and finished it on the wimpy 50cc mode. But, in addition to the new tracks, they also hid the tracks from the SNES game in it. I've yet to unlock them though. Gamefaqs tell you how to do it. I also have Mario GBA, basically Mario 2 and the original Mario Bros. Cool game, but since I finished Mario 2 years ago, it was fairly easy. Super Dodge Ball is great too. So I'd say yeah, pick one up. J-Fo had an excellent point, that you can play Zelda on it too. It's good to know that the SNES lives on in the form of a GBA.
Jason

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Super Mario Advance 2 will be Super Mario World for Super Nintendo with more added to it. Just a little sidenote.
To get the SNES tracks, you have to beat all 5 cups so that you get the cup (have more points than the other racers). Then, you have to get 100 coins or more in each cup to unlock the SNES version of that cup. You have to do this for 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc separately. If you were to be perfect at every track every time you played it, you would have to do 120 races to unlock all of the levels. Added to that, you would need to more races to play every racetrack at least once. That might sound like a lot of time and races, but I have had the game for a day and have already done 32 of those races. Keep in mind that there is a time trial mode and you can play against other people.
I saw a thing for the GBA that is a wireless connecter for multiplayer games. Plug it in (I'm not sure if it goes in the regular I/O port or the game port) and then you can connect up to 4 GBAs wirelessly. Pretty cool.

 

[Dan Brecher]

Morgan,
Does GBA Mario Kart retain any of the original game's music?
Dan (UK)

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I'm not sure. I have played the game at a friend's house before, buy I don't own the original SNES one. Nonetheless, I'm impressed that a cartridge half the size of the GBC carts could hold as much data as it does. The graphics are amazing and the animation is smooth. The music is fitting, though I don't know if its the same from the SNES one.
The only problem with the game at all is the brightness. Using the GBA light thing lights the top half of the screen nicely but the bottom is still a little dark. I bought a rechargable battery (which comes with a battery cover that the battery can charge through, which is really cool) so the power issue isn't an issue at all. When playing GB or GBC games, you can make them widescreen by pressing the L button or regular by playing the R button. Also, the light gets very dim when I play GB or GBC games, which is kind of annoying.
Control is great, gameplay is great, but I have yet to beat the game or play against someone in the multiplayer modes. There are 2 multiplayer modes: single pak and multi-pak. Single pak allows up to 4 people to race against eachother but everyone is Yoshi. Multi-pak allows you to race with 4 people and everyone is a different person, plus there is a battle mode that can only be played with multiple paks.
Overall, the game is very good, but I'm not sure about the SNES music. The tracks are there, though. My next GBA purchase will probably be Rayman Advance or Klonoa. I need a platformer. (I have Tony Hawk 2 for PSX and I'm not that interested in playing it on my GBA)

 

[teapot2001]

It's been years some I've played Mario Kart for SNES, but I think the music is different in this one. The secret SNES tracks will probably have the original music.
~T

 

[Morgan Jolley]

To tell the truth, Mario Kart Super Circuit looks better than Mario Kart on SNES by far. The backgrounds are different and each theme for levels (like the Mario levels, the ghost levels, the bowser levels) have the same backgrounds. The tracks are different, but the backgrounds are not the same, and I don't think they are the original backgrounds. I could see them leaving the original music out.
I think the levels with the themes (like the ghost ones) have the same music as well, and I think this applies to the SNES levels, too. If thats true, then the layout of the tracks is the only thing that is the same as the SNES game. The SNES tracks are shorter than the new ones, but the new ones are 3 laps and the old ones are 5 laps.

 

[teapot2001]

Yeah, the game looks better than the SNES version--that's if you can get some great lighting. Before Mario Kart my only GBA games were Chu Chu Rocket and Namco Museum, so I didn't really get to see the how good the graphics and sound can be on the system until I played this.
~T

 

[Morgan Jolley]

The next game I want to get is Rayman Advance. I would go for Castlevania, but I never got into the old school games. I could give this one a try, but I will wait for it to be cheaper.

 

[Dan Brecher]

You knowm, I could never get into the Castlevania series.
Providing I can find the GBA at a Best Buy or a Frys out in LA, I will get it definately. How's stock for the consoles in stores out in the US now? Are they still flying off the shelves fast or will one be relatively easy for me to find?
Thanks for some feedback on Mario Kart, fellas. Truly one of the finest games ever, in the palm of ones hand.
Dan (UK)

 

[Morgan Jolley]

The GBA is selling at a steady rate, but you should be able to find one or two. I got a white one and a white light/cover, but I could only find a purple rechargable battery/stand. The different color aspects of the GBA are cool and I'm debating whether I should get a black one when it comes out and sell my game.

 

[JohnS]

Dan,
On one of our shopping trips during the LA MEET, I might buy one with you!
Have to get one b4 the Game cube!
Curious, why couldn't you get into Castlevania??
I love those games, and think they are GREAT!
I especially LOVE the music in them!
------------------
[Edited last by JohnS on September 06, 2001 at 01:57 AM]

 

[Dan Brecher]

Curious, why couldn't you get into Castlevania??

Because I am rubbish at playing them. Great music though, yes.
Dan (UK)

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I couldn't get into Castlevania because I didn't really know about it until the PSX one because of my lack of games around me at a young age. The older ones are just too much of a "jump and hit" and "complete in one sitting" types of games and I didn't like that. I like the music and the style, but the gameplay isn't for me.

 

[JasonK]

Dan,
I just unlocked the SNES courses, and some of the music is IDENTICAL. The only course that sounded different was the Ghost House (not the official name, I know.) It sounded really close, but the notes seem to be in a different key. But maybe it's just the GBA's "rockin" speaker. Of course, if I bought some good headphones that would help.
And as for the Castlevania discussion, I've some very fond memories playing these games. The first one is still my favorite, though. The GBA one is the best game I've played of 2001, so far. As for the comment of the first one being just "jump and attack" that may be, but it's old-school gaming at its finest. It's also insanely difficult, so that comment of finishing it in an afternoon is off the mark. Unless you've finished it before. I'm thrilled that a sequel to Circle of the Moon has been announced, I read about it on videogames.com a bit ago.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I just got Rayman Advance today, and boy is this game excellent. The animation is super smooth, the backgrounds are bright and vibrant or the total opposite, depending on the area you are playing in. The gameplay is pretty good and its not that difficulat but provides 60 levels, which is pretty good. So far, it kicks.
I have a question about CotM (I also read about the sequel at GameSpot, they are pretty good with their news, them and IGN are the best): can you save and then begin again from where you are like in most games or do you have to do it all in one sitting? Haven't played much of the other games in the series and they all appeared to be the "one sitting" type.
My best game of 2001 right now is the Metal Gear Solid 2 Demo. The ICO demo was visually impressive, but the MGS2 demo had graphics, gameplay, depth, and was masterfully assembled. Also, I have seen several videos and many screens from this game, so I know a lot about it, which makes the demo even better.

 

[JasonK]

Morgan,
COTM has various save points scattered throughout the castle. All told, there's about 10 hours of game to get through. That's about how long it took me, and I didn't even get all the stuff possible.

 

[Dan Brecher]

I suggest you buy Mario Kart in UK then buy a GBA in America. That way, you can play it against people in your home country and still play it while you're here. Granted you won't be able to play people here, but you could play some of the multiplayer stuff with just one cartridge in one of the GBAs, so you could actually still play against people.

So if I linked to Steve Simon's GBA and his copy of Mario Kart in LA we COULD go head to head in multi-player?
Dan (UK)